Quote - Valentine's Love

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Before we love with our heart, we already love with our imagination.  ~Louise Colet

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hugs,

DIY :: Mini Heart Stamper

This is the easiest little project! Take a #2 pencil and draw a heart on the eraser to serve as a guide for trimming.

Use a sharp knife or blade and carefully carve away the excess from around the heart.

I painted a few blank cards with watercolors and added a little sea salt to the wet paint. Once dry, gently rub to remove the salt. The salt will add distress and variation to the watercolor.

Add text to the cards and use the mini heart stamper to create a border.

Instead of a heart you could make a flower, butterfly, or any other simple shape as a stamp. I hope you like this little tutorial!

Linked to: Project Inspire, Tatertots & Jello, and 52 Mantels

Hugs,

DIY :: Valentine's Heart Wreath

I just love my new wreath I made last week when I was organizing my living room. It's simple and rustic and serves as a reminder each time I walk through the door. The banners that I used are from last year's Valentine's Vignette that I left up all year on my mirror. I thought the sentiment was sweet and should stay up year round. Since I was busy with my living room I didn't have time to take step-by-step pictures but you get the idea from the finished pictures and descriptions.

I picked up a heart-shaped grapevine wreath from Michaels.

The heart banner was created by cutting out or punching heart shapes from red cardstock. I added a few drops of hot glue to the back of the hearts and adhered to the bakers twine.

I draped the heart banner across the top portion of the wreath and tied to each side. I added a drop of hot glue to secure in place.

I randomly added a few sections of the heart banner to the lower portion of the wreath, cut the twine, and secured with hot glue.

The love banner was found at Whisker Graphics and printed on cardstock. I cut out each letter and a few hearts, punched holes on the top of each piece, and laced bakers twine through the punched holes.

The love banner was draped across the top portion of the wreath just below the heart banner, tied on each side, and secured with a bit of hot glue. Easy peasy!

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm linking to Positively Splendid, 52 Mantels, and Project Inspire.

Hugs,

DIY :: Customized Word Art

In my post last week of my completed living room, I showed pictures of wooden live, laugh, love words mounted on the entry wall. I realized that everyone may not know how to create these so I thought I'd share a little tutorial with you today.

Select wooden letters or words from your local craft supply store. They are usually unfinished or white but these happen to be pre-painted.

Choose the color you'd like to show along the edges. Paint the edges and inside letters with cutouts (like "O" and "A"). You don't have to be super neat (I'm not!) because any messiness will be covered up.

Select your scrapbook paper. Flip the paper on the opposite side and the wooden word and trace with a pencil.

Cut out the tracing.

Lightly sand the top surface of the wooden piece and wipe off any residue.

Apply a coat of Mod Podge to the surface of the wooden piece.

Gently apply the traced scrapbook paper onto the Mod Podged surface. Smooth out air bubbles with fingers or an old hotel key card. Allow to dry.

Apply a couple coats of Mod Podge over the paper and allow to dry.

Trim off the excess paper with a blade or small scissors. Sand the edges until there is no paper overhang and the paper practically becomes part of the wood. This takes a little while so I usually move into the living room and watch some Netflix until I'm finished (and vacuum the mess I make).

Wipe off any remaining residue and apply a topcoat of Mod Podge. I like the distressed edges but you can touch-up the paint if you choose.

Attach a picture hanger to the back of the wooden piece. Some words and letters will be difficult to do this so I generally use a combination of a picture hanger and double-sided tape. I use the hanger to get it on the wall and a couple small pieces of double-sided tape inconspicously placed to keep the word level on the wall.

Finished!

Here are a few wooden pieces I've completed in the past:

On this hanger I painted my edges in a complimentary color to the paper.

You can't tell in this picture, but I added a touch of Distress Ink to the edges of this "D" for my son's room.

This wooden letter and word was part of a baby shower gift for a friend.

I'm linking to:

and Project Inspire.

Hugs,

DIY :: Take what you need HEARTS

I'm linking to:

Hearts,